The Day the World Discovered the Sun (43 page)

Solar parallax

described,
41

calculated by Pingré, others,
213
,
218

Cassini's analysis from 1769 observations,
212–213

differing analyses,
54–56

and Lalande–Hell feud,
218–220

Cassini's rounded-off version of transit calculations,
213–214

Hornsby analyzes transit data,
214–215

See also
Solar distance

Solar system.
See
Planetary orbital paths and distances
;
Solar distance

Southern Pacific expedition (1769).
See
Tahiti Venus transit expedition (1769)

Spain

as brutal colonial force in Mexico,
106–107
,
180–181

takes over, delays, San José expedition (1769),
101–103

Spöring, Herman,
163–164
,
174
,
175

St. George's Island.
See
Tahiti

St. Helena Venus transit expedition (1761),
39–42
,
173

St. Petersburg, Russia

Academy of Sciences,
49–53
,
99

Winter Palace of Elizabeth,
13–14

Struensee, Johann Friedrich,
191

Sumatra Venus transit expedition (1761),
27–34

Sun, distance to.
See
Solar distance

Sweden's observations of Venus transits,
54
,
213

Tahiti

Dolphin's
discovery mission,
89–90
,
92–93

open society, thefts,
93
,
168–172
,
196

rules of conduct imposed,
168–169

Tahiti Venus transit expedition (1769)

destination initially undetermined,
82–84
,
89

Endeavour
refitted for voyage,
85–88

mission delayed in Rio,
145–150

at Madeira Island,
137

en route to Tahiti,
164–167

transit observed from Fort Venus observatory,
173–175

Hornsby analyzes data,
214–215

Tahiti–Pacific after-mission of Cook

after-orders given,
94

crew fatalities from dysentery,
202–203

Endeavour
damaged, repaired, in Batavia,
199–203

South Pacific, New Zealand, Australia,
195–196

Taylor, Eva,
80

Taylor, William Whitrong,
25–26

Telescopes

Chappe's in Siberia, San José,
45
,
48
,
104
,
184

of Halley,
41

Hubble,
220

Kepler spacecraft,
227

made by James Short,
91
,
173

mégamètre,
104

taken on Tahiti expedition,
91

Thott, Otto,
189–190
,
191

Tierra del Fuego,
150–152
,
163

Tobolsk, Siberia.
See
Siberia expedition (1761)

Treaty of Paris (1764),
57
,
72

Troitskoye, Russia,
14–15

Trondheim, Norway,
128–129
,
187–189

Tubourai, Tahitian chieftain,
171–172

Tulbagh, Ryk,
34–36

Tupaia, Tahitian chieftain,
196
,
197
,
201

Twain, Mark,
143–144

Typhus (jail fever),
178–179
,
184
,
186
,
205–210

Urania
ship,
129–135

Vardø, Norway, expedition (1769) mission authorized by Danish king,
81

voyage,
117–136
,
187–188

observatory,
134–135
,
155–156

life in Vardø,
157–159

transit observed,
160–162

data dissemination restricted, delayed,
190–193
,
218

Hell's book
Observatio
reports findings,
192
,
194

data disputed by Lalande,
192–193
,
212

Cassini analyzes observations,
212–213

Hornsby analyzes data,
214–215

Velázquez de Leon, Joaquín,
179

Venus transit (1761, June 6)

Cape Town expedition (Mason, Dixon),
37–38
,
40

Siberia expedition (Chappe),
6–7
,
46–49

St. Helena observation attempted (Maskelyne),
39

Sumatra observation attempted (Mason, Dixon),
27–28
,
34

teams throughout world,
54–55

Venus transit (1769, June 3)

Hudson's Bay expedition (Wales),
81
,
217

penumbra visible,
185

San José del Cabo expedition (Chappe),
2–3
,
183–186

Tahiti expedition (Cook),
173–175

Vardø expedition (Hell, Sajnovics),
160–162

viewing locations,
52

Cassini, Hornsby, analyses,
211–215

Venus transit (2004),
225–227

Venus transit (2012),
225–227

Venus transits

described, importance of,
7
,
10–11
,
41

Apollo mission analogy,
220–221

data (timing, latitude/longitude) collected,
53–56

data supplemented by secondary observers,
54–55
,
91–92

sun's distance vague in 1761,
211

2004 transit data,
212
,
225–227

2012 transit exoplanet data,
225–227

astronomical uses today,
226

immortalized as scientific culmination,
223–224

Hornsby analyzes 1769 data,
217

Vera Cruz, New Spain (Mexico),
103–106
,
211

Vienna, Austria,
5
,
7–11

Voltaire,
98–99

Voyage en Californie pour l'observation . . .
(Chappe),
211

Voyage en Siberié
(Chappe),
97–99
,
180
,
223

Waddington, Robert,
39

Wales, William

observes transit in Hudson's Bay (1769),
91
,
217

predicts moon's position for
Nautical Almanac
,
77–78

post-transit honors,
223–224

Wallis, Samuel,
90
,
92

Wallot, Jean Guillaume,
213

Warwick
East India clipper,
42–43

Wilbur, Hervey,
224–225

Witchell, George,
78

Young Nick's Headland, New Zealand,
197